Wrench.



L. C. BERMAN.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED 111,411.27. I914.

1,199,521. PatantedSept. 26,1916.

zdxjmesaeax jzzuenait' 06666 germ xv JMMI" LOUIS C. HERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed March 27, 1914. Serial No. 827,546.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS G. BERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches either in the class known as monkey wrenches or in the class known as pipe wrenches and may also have a similar application and use in connection with jacks.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this class in which the gripping means for the movable part of the wrench is readily adjustable permitting the free movement of the adjusting member in one direction and gripping the shank of the wrench automatically in the other direction, from which gripping position the gripping means may be disengaged by moving the shank member with respect to the gripping member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic alining gripper in connection with the movable jaw of the wrench.

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists 111 the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the specification, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view of a wrench, partly in section, illustrating my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of a wrench, parts being shown in section, constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a part of the wrench shown by Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the application of my invention to a pipe wrench.

This invention relates to wrenches which do not employ a cooperating nut and thread for varying the opening of the jaws. I One of the distinguishing features of this invention is a self-alining and self-adjusting gripper device comprising a half or threequarter round gripper seated 1n a suitable recess and freely movable therein so as to grip the shank of the wrench whenever the jaws are moved apart, unless the gripper 1S positively released.

Referring now more particularly to the drawlngs, the numeral 6 designates a wrench shank or handle having a head or outer jaw 7. In the form illustrated by Fig. 1 a movable jaw 8, adapted to slide on the shank of the wrench, is formed with an internal circular recess 9 adjacent the jaw proper of the member 8 and with an abutment 10 at the rear of the jaw member. The inner face 11 of the abutment 10 and the edge 12 of the jaw opposite thereto are slightly inclined from the gripping face of the aw so that the shank 6 may be moved to take the position shown by the dotted outline 6 to disengage the shank from a gripper 12 disposed in the circular recess 9. This gripper 12 is freely movable in the circular recess to accommodate it to slight variation in posi-v tion of the shank 6. In order to hold the shank yieldingly in connection with the gripper 12 a spring 13 is attached to the jaw 8 on the side opposite the gripper and is preferably connected by means of a fastening device 1a to the inside of a. rounded cross-piece 15 at the lower rear edge of the jaw 8, an opening 16 being provided through which the spring may be inserted. This spring 13 permits the jaw 8 to ride freely ,upon the shank pressing it into engaging position with respect to the other jaw 7, and also forcing the gripper 12 in engagement with the shank.

In the form illustrated by Fig. 2 a slidable jaw 17 is freely movable upon the wrench shank 6 and is formed adjacent the jaw proper with a recess 18 having an inclined surface 19 opposite the front edge of the shank 6. Movable in this recess 18 is a member 20 formed with an inclined surface 21 corresponding with the inclined surface 19 of the recess and having a circular recess 22 in the face adjacent the shank, comprising more than a semi-circle and adapted to retain a gripper 23 therein which has gripping teeth 24. Preferably the recess 22 comprises a circular opening more than a semi-circle in area and preferably about three-quarters of a circle. The gripper 23 has a circular surface and is freely movable in the circular recess but is held in place in the member 20 by means of the sides of the jaw 17 when the member 20 is in place. Connected to the jaw 17 in the recess 18 by means of a pivot pin 25 extending through the sides of the jaw is a lever 26 with a finger-hold portion 27. disposed adjacent the shank and with a bifurcated arm 28 adapted to be connected to the member 20 by means of a pivot pin 29 so that the movement of the finger-hold portion 27- of the lever toward the shank 6 will cause the member 20 to be withdrawn from the recess 18 out of engagement, and the gripper out of engaging position with respect to the shank 6. A spring 30, one end of which is seated in a slot 31 in the member 20 and the other end of which bears against the pivot pin 25, tends to press the member 20 inwardly in the recess 18, and into engaging position with respect to the shank, so that the tension of this spring must be overcome in withdrawing the member 20 from the recess.

A still difierent embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 4 in which a shank 32 has a toothed portion 33 constituting the lower jaw of a pipe wrench. To the outer jaw 34 is connected an embracing member 35 which is secured to a shank 36 of the jaw 34 by fastening devices 37 providing a re.- cess through which the shank 32 is movable. A hardened pin 38 is disposed at the front of the member 35 against which the front edge of the shank 32 bears, and the embracing portion of member 35 has a cutaway portion 39 at the inside forward edge and another cutaway portion 40 at the rearward lower edge which permits the shank 32 to be moved to take an angular position as shown in dotted outline. The shank 36 of the jaw 34 is provided with a recess 41 circular in formand preferably embracing more than a semi-circle. In this recess is a gripper 42 with teeth adapted to engage the rear edge of the shank 32. A spring 43 secured to the shank 36 of the jaw 34 presses the shank forward against the hardened pin 38 and in position to be engaged by the gripper 42. The upper end of the shank 32 is formed with shoulders 44 which engage the inside edges of the shank 36 of the jaw member 34 and prevent the lateral displacement of the jaws with respect to each other.

In all of these forms it will be noted that the jaws are slidable freely toward each other, but that when an attempt is made to space the jaws apart, the gripper acts to engage the shank of the wrench to prevent the separation of the jaw members. The jaw members may be released by moving the shank with respect to the gripper or the gripper with respect to the shank, whereupon the movement of the jaw can be withdrawn and positioned for the engagement of a larger article. The grippers are self-alining and are seated in circular recesses so that they will present the greatest bearing surface thereby preventing wear and at the same time providing a construction in which there is no danger of the gripper becoming loose or being moved out of engaging position. In all of the forms illustrated a spring is provided which holds the gripper and shank relatively in gripping relation.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. In a wrench, the combination of a perforated jaw member through which the shank is movable, with a recess in one edge of the perforation, a member movable in the recess having an aperture therein in the form of a segment of a circle, a gripper device adapted to be seated and freely movable in the recess with teeth extending therefrom, and means tending to press the member to engage the gripper with the shank.

2. In a wrench, the combination of a perforated jaw member through which the shank is movable, with a recess in one edge of the perforation, a member movable in the recess having an aperture therein in the form of a segment of a circle, a gripper device adapted to be seated and freely movable in the recess with teeth extending there from, means to move the member in the recess and to move the gripper out of engaging position with respect to the shank, and a spring tending to oppose the operation of said means.

3. In a wrench, the combination with a shank member, of a perforated jaw movable thereon having a recess opposite one edge of the shank with a surface inclined outwardly from the shank, a member with a correspondingly inclined surface movable in the recess having a segmental circular recess embracing more than a semi-circle, a corresponding segmental gripper adapted to be seated in the recess with gripping teeth along one edge, a lever pivoted to the jaw member in the recess having a finger-hold portion on one arm and the other arm piv otally connected to the member for withdrawing the latter, and a spring engaging the member tending to hold it inwardly in its recess and to hold the gripper in engage: ment with the shank.

4. In a wrench, the combination with a shank member, ofv a perforated jaw member through which the shank is movable having a recess extendingfrom the perforation beneath the jaw adjacent the shank with an inclined face opposite the opening, a member with a correspondingly inclined face adapted to be disposed and movable in the recess having a segmental circular opening greater than a semi-circle in theportion opposite the front edge of the shank, a corresponding circular segmental gripper with gripping teeth along the said edge thereof adapted to be freely movable in its recess and to be retained by the form of the recess from outward movement therefrom and by the sides of the jaw from lateral movement with respect to the movable member, the movable member'being provided also with a slot, a pivot pin in the recess ofthe jaw member, a

lever pivoted thereto, one arm of which is pivotally connected to the movable member in the jaw recess and the other arm of which is formed with a finger-hold portion, and a spring, one end of which is seated in the slot of the movable member and the other of which bears against the pivot pin adapted to press the said movable member inwardly in the recess of the jaw member and to hold the gripper in position to engage the shank. 10 In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 23rd day of March, A; D. 1914.

' LOUIS O. BERMAN.

Witnesses:

LoUIs E. LITT, CHARLES H. SEEM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

